Umbra
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: The War of the Scars will be decided by the Vampyre Priestess. But who is she? There are two possibilities, one dark, and one light. One has chosen Darren, and the other Steve.
1. Priestess

A woman with dark hair to her feet stood in the middle of a carnage infested field. It looked like a war zone.

Her face was innocent but she was covered in blood.

She held up a heart with shaking hands. "P-Please...D-Darren...you must help me..."

Then her expression darkened...and she lunged for his chest—

Xxx

Darren woke up. That woman. She was the girl the other princes had sent him to find. The Vampyre Priestess.

Both sides were looking for her, and the one she chose would be the one who would win.

She and her sister were rumored to be Evanna's daughters.

So now Darren was in Mr Crepsley's hometown, searching for her. But since then he had been enrolled in school, and he wasn't doing well.

Darren wasn't looking, and bumped into a girl.

"Ah." Darren said. "Excuse me."

"No, it was my fault." Kuri said, bowing. "If I might say so, you have...such a noble air about you."

"What a peculiar thing to say." Darren pointed out.

"I suppose so." Kuri said. "If it's all the same...do you believe in destiny?"

Darren paused. "Why would you say such a thing?"

He then noticed three marks on her lower cheek.

She had been targeted by the Vampaneze.

Behind them there was a scream.

"That woman!" A man said. "Her blood's been drained! She's dead!"

Kuri's expression darkened. "That idiot!"

She ran off, and Darren followed her.

They stopped in an alley, and two vampaneze along with a red haired woman stopped.

"So you're here Darren." Steve said. "It's good you've caught up with us now that we've won. We have the priestess now."

The red haired girl wiped her forehead, and revealed a red crescent tattoo.

"Why are you doing this?!" Kuri said. "Please, come with me Reiko!"

Reiko splayed out her hand, aiming at Darren, and bright white light flashed out. He knew that even though he was a half vampire, it would kill him.

Kuri lunged, and took the hit. She looked up, blood on her lips. "Run Darren."

"I'm not leaving you behind...High Priestess."


	2. Vampirates

Kuri, Darren, and Larten looked out the window into the night.

"Another meteor shower. Happens every day in this place..." Larten said.

Xxx

The alarm clock buzzed loudly. Half past eight. Kuri sat up in bed. "Kuri!" Darren called. "Gooood morniiing!"

"Morning, Darren!" said Kuri.

Larten waved as they left the house. The two ran off ahead.

"Holding hands at this unearthly hour..." Larten said.

Xxx

Kuri fainted on her way home.

She fell into the arms of Arra Sails.

"We're too late," she said.

Arra carried Kuri in her arms, and stood next to Debbie and Alice.

A crowd surrounded them.

"The Vampirates!"

They ran outside the airport and hail a cab.

"Arra!"

"Debbie!"

"Alice!"

The three women got into the cab, and it sped off.

Kuri opened her eyes. _"The scent of fragrant olives..."_ she thought. She saw Arra looking down at her. "Who's that?"

"We'll be in town shortly." Arra said.

Kuri sat up. "I..." she said. "I have to get off..."

"Excuse me," said Debbie. "Driver, this is fine."

The cab stopped and they got out. Kuri walked away.

"We brought her all the way here," said Alice, "and she didn't even say thanks."

Arra stared after her.

Xxx

The alarm clock buzzed loudly.

Half past eight.

Kuri sat up in bed.

Darren grinned at her. 'You ready for the Vampirates concert? It was Mr Crepsley's idea."

They headed to the concert.

Xxx

Three women in dresses walked onto the stage. "The Vampirates!?" Kuri cried. "No way!"

"So these are the Vampirates," said Darren. "They're cool."

"They're so far away," said Larten. "You can't see their faces very well."

Arra held out a flower to Larten.

"Larten Crepsley," Arra said.. "I caught your show at the Cirque. You were wonderful."

"Thank you," said Larten.

Debbie held out her hand to Darren.

"I am Debbie Hemlock," she said. "I like your style. We carry the same things. I'd like to shake your hand."

Darren shook Debbie's hand.

"Vampirates!" called the crowd. "Please give us an encore!"

Darren stared at the three as they walk away.

"Darren?" said Kuri.

"Vampirates," he said. "Those three... Who are they?"

As the Vampirates went on stage, a girl watched from the back of the room.

"Ehehe..." she said. "I've found them. The Vampirates."

She jumped up.

"I, Nezumi of the Vampets, have got you!" She shot a blast of light at the stage. The girl had white hair and a V carved in her scalp.

The Vampirates jumped out of the way. Electricity sparked on the equipment onstage.

"This is the emergency route," said a voice over the P.A. system. "Please obey these instructions and do not panic."

Nezumi was unleashing monstrous creatures on the crowd.

What the-!?" said Kuri

"What happened!?" said Darren

"Hehe!" said Nezumi. "I finally found you, and now you expect me to let you escape? Now, come on out, High Priestess."

"An enemy!?" Darren said. "Get behind me, priestess!"

"Fat chance!" Kuri said.

Kuri pushed all the people outside the room. Darren and Larten locked the door.

"The door won't open!" said a man. "Damnit!" said another. They pounded on the door. "What the hell's going on!?"

"I've been waiting for you, High Priestess," said Nezumi.

Kuri had arrived just as the demons had finished attacking Darren. He was collapsed on the ground all bloody.

"The power of the houses of night is wasted on you!" Nezumi accused.

Seeing Darren visibly flinch, Kuri stepped in. "That's enough. I am the one you want."

She threw out her hands, and the resulting silver blast destroyed the demons. "Seisei!"

Nezumi moved to land a finishing blow on Darren, laughing at Kuri.

"No!" Kuri shouted.

"Jigoku!" A voice called.

Nezumi was surrounded in light and destroyed. A bracelet dropped to the floor and vanishes.

"Who's there!?" said Larten.

Three spotlights shone on the stage, showing three women standing there.

The three women jumped into the air and disappear.

Larten, Darren, and Kuri stared after them.

"Those three!?"


	3. Vampets

_"I love you... I love you, Darren."_

_"Kuri."_

_"Darren!"_

_She ran to him._

_"I'm so happy! Have you come back!?"_

_"Kuri, I love you."_

_He kissed her._

_"I've made it back safely," he said. "And so..."_

_His body melted away in her arms._

Xxx

Kuri bolted upright in bed.

_"It was... a dream," _she thought.

She got dressed and went downstairs.

She went outside.

"I'm leaving," she said.

Xxx

In Ichinohashi Park a flash of light appeared in the sky. A small girl floated down from above, holding an umbrella over her head. Her silver hair was tied into two heart-shaped balls, with ribbons of hair coming out. As she reached the ground, flower petals sprinkle down on her. She climbed up to a walkway above.

"All right," said Kuri. "I've finished washing the dishes. Now I can get to the cleaning and the laundry. Maybe I'll go to the supermarket, too. What shall we have for dinner tonight..."

The doorbell rang. She went to the door and opened it. She stared out the door. "Chibi... Chibi...?"

The small girl looked up at her. "Chibi chibi?"

Xxx

"I'm home!" Darren called. He saw a small pair of shoes at the doorway. _"Whose shoes are these?"_ he thought.

"Welcome back!" said Kuri.

"Baaack!" said the small girl.

Darren's eyes widened. "Wh- Who is that!?"

"Now, now, Darren," Kuri said.. "You haven't forgotten our daughter, Chibi-Chibi-chan, have you?"

"Chan have you?" said the girl.

"It can't be," said Darren.

"It does seem strange." Larten said. "What have you been up to Darren?"

"I don't know!"

Larten sat down by the girl. "So Chibi-Chibi is your name?" she asks.

"Is your name?" the girl said.

"Copycat!" said Darren.

"Copycat!" said the girl.

"What a brat..." said Darren.

"What a brat..." said the girl.

"Whatever you ask her," Kuri said, "that's what she does."

"What she does!" said the girl.

Kuri picked the girl up. "Chibi-Chibi-chan," she said. "Time for bed."

Xxx

Darren sat in bed. "_That kid..."_ he thought. "_She can't be my daughter!"_

Darren saw the little girl peering in at the door to her room.

"Want to come sleep with me?" Darren asked.

The girl knelt down and put something on the floor.

"Huh?" said Darren. "What are you doing?"

The pot on the ground filled the air with scents.

"That smells good," said Darren. "Is it incense? Did you get that from Mr Crepsley's room?"

Darren breathed in the air.

_"Ah..."_ he thought. _"This... The sweet scent of fragrant olives... This scent... Somewhere, before...?"_

Darren fell asleep with the small girl in bed next to him.

Xxx

Darren and Kuri were standing on the roof of the building the next day when the Vampirates appeared.

"Tell us. What do you plan to do to end this terrible war?" Alice demanded.

"Don't be so hard on him, Alice!" Debbie scolded.

"The priestess knows, look at her!" Arra said.

Kuri grabbed her head in pain and doubled over.

_"Ouch!"_ she thought. _"It's like my head is splitting...!"_

"Get away from Kuri!" Darren ran to Kuri and held her away from the three women. "What did you do to her!?"

"Nothing," they said.

The three women left.

"I'm all right, Darren," said Kuri. "Just got a little headache. We were only talking."

"I don't know what they did," said Darren. "Don't go near them by yourself again."

_"Did those three use some power on me?"_ Kuri thought. _"No, it wasn't that. When they spoke to me, suddenly..." _

"Right," said Kuri. "Such cool girls don't look like bad people."

Kuri pulled out Vampirates concert tickets. "Of course, these are for peace," she said. "Since the recent enemy attack was at a concert..."

Kuri and Darren cheer in the crowd at the concert.

"Since we want peace," Darren said., "we can't leave the concert, right?"

The three women walked onto the stage, and the audience cheered.

"A faint orange star in the center," Darren said, walking onto the roof. "I wonder what its name is..."

"It's a man-made satellite."

Darren turned.

Debbie pointed to a light in the sky.

"Wow," Darren said.. "It's so bright, you can see it. Do you like stars?"

"Yes," she said. "I do."

"Did you escape here from all your fans again? It must be tough, being mobbed. I wouldn't think idols would have time to do anything. They'd be so busy."

"Anything, as long as we can sing..." Debbie said.

"I feel... like I've met you somewhere before..." said Darren. "O- Oops. I shouldn't have said that, not to such a famous person."

"I- I..." Darren said. "I really like your Vampirates debut single. It's so moving... The song is pretty, and I still feel it in my heart."

"Your saying that," said Debbie, "makes me very happy. We wanted to sing this song, so we became singers."

"I see it," Darren said. "I feel it now. The aura surrounding her."

"Debbie you fool!"

Arra and Alice burst onto the roof.

"Your power has come out without protection! They've sensed you!"

A hooded woman floated up to the roof.

"Hahahaha," she said. "I am Sirena!"

_"Sirena!?"_ Darren thought.

"Cataracta!" Sirena shouted.

The Vampirates dashed between her and Darren.

Kuri jumped in front of them, shielding them from the attack.

"Haha," Sirena said. "You won't beat me."

Kuri turned to the Vampirates. "Did you call an enemy!? I won't let you! Get away from Darren! If you want, we'll settle this now!"

"No!" Darren said.. "They aren't enemies! The aura surrounding the Vampirates is the same as ours! They are on our side!"

Sirena's hair whipped out and wrapped around Kuri's arms and necks, strangling her.

"Hahahaha!"

"KURI!"

Darren rushed forward and attacked.

The attack bounced off harmlessly.

"It was repelled!?"

"Darren!" Kuri choked out.

"I am also a member of the clan!" Sirena said. "The Vampaneze! I am a Vampet!"

"What!?"

"I won't blow it like Nezumi did!" she said. "For our High Priestess Lady Reiko, I will destroy you!"

"KURI!" Darren grabbed her.

A force of light traveled up the hair and burned Sirena alive.

The Vampirates fell to one knee before Kuri and Darren

"The place where the stars drift..." Arra said.

"Holding three infinite lights..." Alice said.

"We are the Vampirates!" Debbie said.


	4. Crows

"Vampirates!?" said Darren. "It can't be!"

Darren stared blankly.

Kuri slapped him. "They are real. But I don't trust them."

Debbie stepped forward. "Darren. We..."

"Don't come any closer!" said Kuri, standing in front of Darren. She pulled out her sword. "If you want to get to him, you'll have to kill me first! Who are you, and what do you want!?"

"I understand how hurt you must feel," said Arra. "But if you're as lacking in composure and confused as you are now, you won't be able to win against the Vampaneze."

_"Vampaneze!?"_ thought Kuri.

"They will attack you without mercy," said Alice. "You don't have time to worry about us. Seriously, you must fight them! If you don't..."

The three Vampirates jumped off the roof of the building.

"Vampirates..." said Kuri. "The ones who attacked us at the concert, and then today. They were called Vampets."

"The Vampaneze," said Darren. "That is the enemy...!"

"The enemy this time," said Kuri, "is it the Vampirates...?"

"The Vampirates," said Darren. "Are they the enemy, too!? No! In the moment when I was attacked by Sirena, they guarded me. It seems like everyone is protecting me..."

A hand pulled at Darren.

Darren looks down and saw the small girl with red hair.

"Chibi-Chibi... Are you coming to cheer me up?" He hugged her.

"Such a torrent of evil spirit...! That direction... Toward the Hikawa Shrine!?"

Larten lay unconscious on the ground as crows flock overhead.

"The light of your heart is nearly mine," said Karasu. "What if you were to show yourself to me? Priestess!"

Kuri descended to the ground.

"Priestess, it's been a while, hasn't it."

"Karasu...!"


	5. Awakening

Priestess," she says. "The divine, radiant Priestess was chosen for that power. She was given that name...but it's not like that anymore! I am Karasu, and I serve the true Priestess!"

"Another Vampet!?"

"Living things in this galaxy all carry a soul," Karasu says. "I serve the true Priestess, Reiko!"

Kuri dodge out of the way, as a blast shoots past them and destroys the Hikawa Shrine.

"That power!?"

"Heh heh heh! Yes!" says Karasu. "I have obtained the power from Reiko!"

"You've betrayed me, Karasu?"

"Our allies are no more! You abandoned us for your eternal battle with Cosmos!"

She thrusts her arm out, Kuri was knocked to the ground.

"Kuri!" Darren calls.

He rushes toward the shrine with Larten.

He attacked Karasu and she was killed.

"Kuri!" Larten and Darren say.

They run toward Kuri.

A bright light flashes between them.

Reiko appears through the light.

"In the end, the result is always the same, sister...we will always end alone, and in desolation..."

xxx

"Now, this way," Larten says. He shows Darren into the house. "I think she'll be awake soon. I wonder what's wrong with her. She fell ill quite suddenly."

He opens the door to Kuri's room.

Ahiru is sitting on her knees at Kuri's bedside.

She turns to them.

Darren eyes meet with hers.

"Oh, Ahiru," says Larten. "You were in Kuri's room. Want a snack?"

"All right!"

She gets up and runs to Larten.

_"That girl...?"_ Darren thinks.

Kuri slowly opens her eyes.

Darren approach her.

"That woman...was Reiko."

"Yes, it is," says Darren. "She is your strongest enemy."

"Where is she?"

Darren pauses.

"We can't just destroy her...she's...it's different."

Xxx

Ahiru sleeps by the table.

"Give us that incense burner."

She looks up and sees the Vampirates appear.

"Come on," says Debbie.

Ahiru stands up between them and the burner and holds her arms out.

"No!" she says. "No! No! Nooo!"

Mist begins to seep out from the incense burner, and a woman appears, veiled in the mist.

"It's all right, Ahiru," the woman says. "These people are my special friends."

Kuri was wearing a beautiful dark blue starry gown and was glowing with unknown magic. The incense burner had given her her powers back.

The Vampirates gasped.

"Priestess!"

Darren stood in the doorway, shocked.


	6. Enemy

"You- you were this close to us," Darren says. "This whole time..."

They kneel before the woman.

"This whole time, we have been searching for you, my Priestess."

"Darren..." Kuri says. "Larten, Arra, Debbie, Alice. I've finally met you...! I always heard your voices, the voices of your hearts. So many times I thought of going to you. But my body's recovery took longer than I had expected... Ahiru helped me. She told me of you three. She has always protected and encouraged me."

"Ahiru...?" says Darren. "Who on earth are you...?"

The woman turns to the small girl.

"I felt the power of you," she says. "You are vampire, aren't you, Ahiru?"

Ahiru smiles at her, revealing her fingertips and the scars.

"I am Kuri," says the woman. She kneels before Darren. "I am the Priestess of the Vampires."

"I apologize for the rudeness of these ones," Kuri says. "The Vampirates were protecting me."

"How do you know me...?" Darren says.

"You are a Vampire Prince. I know every Vampire Prince that ever was or will be."

"Priestess," says Arra. "The enemy escaped before we could deliver the final blow. It seemed she was not being ruled in her heart."

"Darren," says Kuri. "I request that you please save us. The world is becoming a horrible thing now. My sister Reiko is working with the Lord of the Vampaneze and has begun attacking all of our people. Reiko is the Vampaneze Priestess. She is forcing the young with ambition and power to work under her. She has built a horrific empire."

"But no matter how many people are attacked, only when Reiko and her Lord reach us will the real test occur. Reiko's final target is surely you."

"Why... me...?" says Darren.

"It is because of the Lord's choice." Kuri said. "His vendetta, and your destiny."

"Destiny..." Darren said begrudgingly.

Kuri looked at Darren. "You are so heavily burdened, Sire..."

He slowly leans down and kisses her softly on the lips.

"Even in death may you be triumphant." Kuri said, making the Death's Touch sign.

She got up and walks to the door. "It's late. I'll take you home."

"That's okay," said Darren, holding Ahiru. "We can manage. ...Thank you."

Kuri watches the two leave.

"We are of different stations in this world," Kuri thinks to himself. "This love might be impossible."

Xxx

"Yay! Swings!"

Ahiru runs into the park.

"Ahiru," says Darren. "If we don't get home, Mr Crepsley will be worried."

"Just a little!" says Ahiru as she jumps onto the swing.

"Hmph..." says Usagi. "You're a wonderful kid, you Ahiru. You don't tell me anything at all. But strangely, you're dear and lovable, and you put me at ease. Even though you don't say anything, you seem to understand... I was startled that you're a sailor soldier, too. ...Just where are you from? Who are you?"

Ahiru looks up at her.

"I'm me."

Darren stares at her. "I'm me..." she thinks to herself.

She grimaces.

"Hey now! You dodged the question again! Answer me for real, Ahiru!"

A feather drops to the ground.

Darren looks up and sees a woman with long hair blowing in the wind, cast in shadow by the moonlight.

"...Who's that?"

Darren picks up the feather and hands it to the woman.

"Thank you," the woman says. "You always have so many friends. I wonder if that special light inside you draws them to you. Or is it darkness?"

She spreads her arms out and is surrounded in light. A storm of wind blows at Darren.

"Who is that!?" she thinks. "Such power!"

A bolt of lightning strikes the park from the sky. Energy swirls around the woman.

Rain begins to pour down.

"A storm!?" Darren thinks. "Such strong power! This is like no enemy before! Who is that!?"

"It can't be...!" thinks Kurai. "Priestess of the Vampaneze, Reiko!"

The woman smiles as her power spreads out through the city.

"It can't be!"


	7. Actions

Kurai grips Ahiru in her arms as the storm blasts around them.

"The city!" she thinks. "It's being blown away!"

Buildings rip apart, pieces flying into the air.

"It's too late! I can't last through it by myself! Such power! This is nothing like the enemies before!"

The woman before her chuckles.

"This is... a hallucination!" Kurai thinks.

"We'll get everyone back! We'll get them back to their original forms! Right away, we will become one and defend the clan!"

The woman floats toward her.

"Is that so...?" she says. "Really, if your allies really all gather again, will your friends' bodies return to normal?"

The chalice glows.

"But... Whenever we always become one... We'll continue the fight through the future..."

"Is the future you know, really the future?"

The woman presses a finger to Kurai's forehead.

"Will the future you know, really come?"

She presses lightly, and Kurai tumbles backward, pulling Ahiru and Darren with her.

"What's wrong? Is this the end? With this, this planet will be no more."

As Kurai falls, Ahiru glares at the woman.

As the Vampirates run toward the park, the buildings of the city come back together.

The woman gasps.

She vanishes in the wind.

The sky calms. The city is dark.

"Kurai!" Arra calls. "Ahiru!"

Ahiru holds Darren up, sitting in front of the unconscious Kurai.

"It's all right," she says. "The enemy attacked, then disappeared!"

"The city is back to normal...!" says Alice.

Debbie holds Kurai. "Without transforming, she has such re-creation power!"

"She held her own fighting against Reiko," says Arra. "So this is the power of the Vampire Priestess."

xxx

Reiko sips a drink in a crowded bar.

"Do you know the place where stars are born?" she says. "Strong stars, weak stars, their light, their power, all of it is born from there."

"Where is that!?" says the man, holding a bottle and glass. "So if I took that place, I could run stars freely! And if I can rule stars, space will belong to me!"

Reiko puts her drink down.

"Trash," she says, "will be as trash until its death."

She stands up and leaves.

"Wherever I go," she thinks, "only trash. Only stars of trash. This wasn't my planet either. All the power I have, I am the one who has been chosen by god. I want greater power. It must be somewhere. The bright star that will give me more power, suitable for me."

A cloaked figure in black sits on the ground, a glowing ball before him.

"The place where stars are born?" he says. "Yes, I know it, certainly. The home of the galaxy. The place where stars gush out as if from a fountain. Zero Star of Sagittarius. That is the center of the galaxy."

"The center of the galaxy," thinks Reiko.

She floats in space, staring at the stars.

"Come, come, my pretty little children. Where is the true star you desire? Tell your mother. Tell me, Destiny, and it will all be yours."

Reiko's eyes open, and she finds herself lying in bed.

"A dream...!"

She gets up.

"A dream let loose from long ago, of the wandering in search of home."

She approaches the steps in front of the large crystal held in the air.

"Before long, Kuri will come here. I can call upon Destiny for her to come here. So you can know the truth, come quickly, Kuri. Such a tiny planet, it's not suitable as the stage for our battle, not even for you. Come quickly, to where I stand, so you and I can release our true power!"

Vapets kneels before her.

"Reiko, my Nezumi has..."

"I apologize, Reiko!" says Nezumi. "One more! Just give me one more chance! This time I'll do it!"

"You shamelessly come back here after disgracing yourself?" says Reiko. "Trash cannot be made into a star!"

"Reiko!"

The bracelets on Nezumi wrists unclasp, and fall to the ground.

Nezumi cries out as her body disintegrates.

xxx

Kurai floats through empty space.

"Where am I...?"

She hears a noise.

"The sound of water?"

She approaches a giant light.

"This is..."

"The Galaxy Cauldron, of Zero Star of Sagittarius."

Reiko pulls down at Kurai's ankle from below.

"It is your grave."

Kurai's eyes open.

"Kurai!" says Ahiru.

She sees the Vampirates and Darren looking down at her.

"A dream!?" she thinks. "I thought I was being pulled, into that dark consciousness. The Galaxy Cauldron, what on earth...!?"

She feels a hand holding hers.

"Ahiru... You saved me, didn't you. I always felt it, the strength of your hand pulling mine. Thank you, Ahiru. Amazing, that I can have such faith in you. Could it be because you're an ally? Maybe you're an angel sent to me from everyone in the future. That's right... When I wake up, there are always friends watching over me."

"In every time," Kurai thinks, "my friends devote their lives to protecting me. But still, even though I'm grateful that I'm the High Priestess..."

"Kurai..." says Alice.

"Put together, it's all up to me. And so now, I want to devote my life to restoring all my friends. Arra, Alice, Debbie... We aren't the only ones worthy of life. These bodies, too, are us. We are ourselves, body and all. They give us support, we live together. We look at them, call to them, embrace them. Our power is amplified by these bodies. Being with everyone, using strong power, that is a Vampire."

"Will your friends' bodies really return to normal?" Reiko said. "Will the future you know, really come?"

"It will come," Kurai thinks. "I believe! They aren't all dead! Our future will surely come! I'll use all the power I can, and I will rescue everyone! I'll bring back peace! I'll put everything back to normal! Surely! Reiko, what are you!? Why have you started this fight!? I must go, right away, to the place where Reiko stands!"

Xxx

"Kurai!?" says Larten. "You know of Zero Star of Sagittarius!?"

"Reiko told me. I'm going now! Reiko! I'm going to you!"

A voice from somewhere else speaks . . .

"Come quickly, Kurai, to the place where I am. I'll knock down more and more, I'll take more and more. Then with your one last remaining piece, I will show you the truth!"


	8. Memory

"That huge light is coming toward us."

"The war is beginning. I'm scared, Steve."

"It's all right, Reiko. I'll protect you."

"For our peaceful and happy future, we won't take one step away from here."

Xxx

Kurai headed north with Darren, Ahiru, and the three Vampirates.

"That giant cluster is the center of the Vampaneze community," Larten says. "Alpha Star of Sagittarius. And deeper, in the center of Alpha Star, is Zero Star of Sagittarius. The place where stars are born."

"The place where stars are born?"

"All the vampaneze and vampires are born from that Zero Star of Sagittarius."

"The place where vampires are born..." thinks Kurai. "All of the stars scattered across the world, and we... were born from there?"

"When you say the Vampaneze is there," says Alice, "do you mean Reiko will rule the destiny of the earth?"

"Perhaps," says Darren. "Now, we will fly at once to Zero Star. But there is no guarantee whether or not we will be able to land safely."

"We're prepared, Priestess," says Arra. "For the unknown realm, and the heart of the enemy land."

A flash of light blinds them.

As they look around, they see fog and darkness.

"Where are we...?" Kurai says.

A gigantic doorway looms before them, slowly creaking open.

"The gate to Zero Star!?"

They pass through the door, and find themselves in a desert.

Darren and Ahiru start coughing.

"My throat is so parched..." says Darren.

Kurai gasps.

A figure cloaked in a dark robe stands beside a withered tree, on a small boat in the sand, holding an oar.

"I am Steve," the figure says. "I am the ferryman of this desert river. Please come aboard, foreigners."

Darren's eyes widened in shock, but said nothing.

The six of them board the small boat, and float out through the sand.

The sands liquefy around them.

"The desert is turning to water!?"

The boat starts to sink.

Kurai falls deep through the water, gasping for air.

"Darren!" she calls as she drowns. "Ahiru, Vampirates!"

Xxx

Kurai sits on a swing underwater, wearing her school uniform, her eyes cloudy.

"This is..."

She sees a man faintly outlined before her. The man wears dark green.

"I'm... All of a sudden, I'm here...?"

"Are those your friends?" the man asks.

He pointed out the others.

"My...friends...?"

The man picks them up.

"If you raise and care for cats, they'll be lonely when you die. It's much better to be alone. Don't you think?"

"Be alone...?" Kurai says. "No... It's lonesome by yourself... That's why I felt I should make lots of friends..."

"If you're lonesome. What kind of friends?"

"What kind?" Kurai thinks. "My friends... My friends... I can't really... remember..."

The man points to the heart-shaped ring on Kurai's finger.

"A lover? Do you have one?"

"Have a lover?" Kurai thinks. "I wonder if I did... Who is this ring from...? Who... am I...? I don't remember... anything..."

"Your memories as a person have no value," the man says. "Even that body is only a vessel. The thing that has value to us is..."

A metal bracelet adorns his wrist. He raises her arm.

"Power only!"

A blast strikes her friends.

Kurai feels the ashes that remain of her friends.

"Why can you kill them... so easily?" she asks. "We were born to live."

"Those with life," the man says, "are born to die."

He raises his oar to the air.

"Myosotis Alpestris!"

Kurai scream in pain, and collapses on the ground.

A woman in a light purple dress, peers down from above the surface, and cringes.

"Why...!?" Kurai says. "Are you trying to kill me...?"

"Because you came here to lose everything."

"To lose my name, my life, everything..." Kurai thinks. "No, that's wrong. I don't want to lose everything. I had so many precious friends. My name, my life were for those friends. Those allies. Right, I'm not here to lose everything. I came here to bring back my allies..."

"At the bottom of this river of oblivion," the man says, "nobody can defeat me."

He grins evilly as he raises his metal bracelet.

"Farewell, Priestess."

The woman in the purple dress pushes him away.

"Stop, Steve!"

"Reiko!"

"Priestess Kurai has been hurt enough! Leave the final judgement to me."

"Kurai...?" Kurai thinks.

The heart-shaped ring on her finger glows.

"Kuria... That name..."

The mark shines on her forehead.

"Right! I am Kurai! I came here to restore everything!"

She swims through the water.

She sees Ahiru, Darren, and the Vampirates lying unconscious.

"Everyone!?"

Ahiru's eyes pop open.

"Ahiru!"

Kurai grabs her and swims with her up to the surface of the river.

"She got her memory back in my river of oblivion!" says Steve. "Damn you!"

"Steve!" Reiko says. "Please, stop this!"

Reiko creates a sphere of light around Kurai, Ahiru, Darren, and the Vampirates, carrying them out of the river onto dry ground.

"Ahiru, are you all right!?" Kurai says.

Ahiru shakes water from her head.

"Betraying me, Reiko?" Steve says.

"I only-!" says Reiko. "I just don't want my sister the same as me to be hurt by you."

Darren wakes up, and looks around dazedly.

"Darren!?" Kurai says.

"Darren!?"

Reiko scoops some water up with her hand, putting it to Darren's mouth.

"Have some water from my river of memory."

"Reiko!" says Steve.

Darren coughs.

"Kurai," he says. "This place...!"

"Darren!" says Kurai.

They turn to the two.

"I didn't come here for a meeting with death," Kurai says. "I came to get back my allies' souls! Where are they!?"

"The souls are not here," says Steve. "These are the vast outer moats, doubly guarding the Vampaneze Stronghold. The Desert Rivers. I am the Lord of the Vampaneze."

"I am the Priestess of the Vampaneze."

"We won't let you leave from here, Priestess of Vampires," Steve says. "Not as you live."

"Steve!"

"If you don't want to see it, close your eyes, Reiko!"

"Have you forgotten!? The oath by which we decided to follow this path, to achieve our own peace and happiness!? Our clan was small, and poor. It was always chaotic, with never-ending fights. Mr Tiny came, and Death and silence came to our world. We had no choice but to do as he said. But if there is a lasting victory to the war, and I can unite the clans, we will have our new future, surely!"

The two hug.

"This time we'll have peace and happiness, Reiko."

"There is no peace and happiness with destruction!" Darren says. "Don't you know that!? How many have you killed! Even in the future, with you there will only be destruction and slaughter!"

"But, Darren," says Steve. "Is there a peaceful and happy future with you? A future where there is no war? Darren, the power you carry calls for war! As long as you exist, the wars will not end. From where we stand, the enemy is you! Whoever wins, the future will surely be the same. I will end this war now. I just want to have peace and happiness, together with Reiko. That's all."

"If that will truly end the war," Kurai says, "kill me."

The others gasp.

"I, too, came here to end the war."

"That's right," she thinks to herself. "I came now to end this war. I have always fought to end wars. That is the mission of a soldier. That is the wish of a soldier. All our wishes are always the same. No matter what future awaits us."

"Please, go, our true Priestess."

"Reiko!"

"Even if we don't repair things," says Steve, "if you die, if you don't die, the war will not end."

"Steve...!"

The two raised their hands.

"But nothing matters now. It won't stop."

They points their hands at Kurai.

Ahiru jumps in front of Kurai, holding up her own hands at the top, shielding them from the attack.

Energy swirls around the three unconscious Vampirates.

Darren runs toward them.

"Alice! Arra! Debbie!"

Reiko and Steve laugh as the the souls emerge from the Vampirates' bodies.

They rise into the air, taking the souls, and disappear.

"Damnit!" Kurai says. "Their three souls!?"


	9. Death

The arrow shines on Aang's forehead.

"All our spirits into one...!"

"The holy chalice is shining!" Katara thinks.

"Aang!?" says Sokka.

"Everyone...!" Aang commands in loud voice that rings with power, order and rule.

The six warriors halt.

"Aang!?"

"Make our spirits one, to fight! We are warriors!"

"Aang is..."

"Calling us..."

The three objects carried by the spirits glow.

"My talisman," says Kurai. "The mirror..."

"My talisman," says Zuko. "The sword..."

"My talisman," says Reiko. "The staff..."

"They've started to resonate!?"

The lid on the chalice opens.

"Power to the Avatar..."

"Power..."

The chalice shines as it rises above Aang.

He glowed as he went into Avatar State.

All the others glowed as their powers evolved.

"I feel..." Sokka thinks. "Stronger!?"

"Aang!?" Zuko says. "No, that's... Avatar State!?"

"Avatar State!?"

"Avatar State!?" Cyprine and Ptitol gasp.

Xxx

Kurai vanishes and collapses on her bed in the Fire Nation, clutching her head.

Bandiane stares into the pool. "Aang! He powered up!?"

She looks into the sky. "Such grand energy! But the center of the power receives no damage!? I don't believe it! Avatar State! What on earth is this power!?"

Kurai coughs hard, kneeling on the floor. "My forehead hurts... Like it's splitting... I'm nauseous... It hurts... From my throat, from my forehead, from my whole body, something is trying to get out. It must not get out! It mustn't!"

Her voice and manner changes. "Aang! That enormous power! What is it!? Does that give you all power!?" Kurai stops coughing. Her eyes sparkle. "It's the power of the Avatar," she says.

Xxx

"We won't be led astray any longer!" Aang shouts. "I won't hesitate anymore."

He attacks.

The bodies of Cyprine and Ptitol are distorted in a flash of light, and vanish.

Xxx

"Damnit!" says Bandiane. "Avatar! My precious servants—defeated! The outsiders must be eliminated quickly. We were supposed to see the start of our new world here with the master. But things are happening like this! You have angered me, Aang!"

Kurai holds her amulet from the string. Her eyes sparkle. The image of Bandiane is projected on the amulet.

"Heh heh," says Kurai. "My Queen...and I am the true Queen. The true Princess of Darkness." She holds her head. "My forehead's splitting!" She cries out in pain as she collapses.

Xxx

"I...!? I powered up...!?" Aang thinks. "It suddenly came, then vanished. Power from the holy chalice..."

"Avatar State!" calls Zuko.

"It was power from everyone..." Aang thinks. "Devoted to me from the holy chalice."

"The legendary holy chalice!?" thinks Katara. "Is this the power of the legendary holy chalice!?"

"The talismans gave power to Aang...!" says Zuko.

"There was this kind of power in our talismans..." says Reiko.

"I don't believe it," Zuko says. "The talismans were to awaken with a key... But like this..."

"Zuko!" says Reiko.

"I asked for all our spirits to become one," says Aang. "I asked for you to lend me your strength. We can surely work with each other. I want to save everyone. I want to defeat the enemies. We both felt that way. Then with the legendary holy chalice, I truly became the Avatar. We can be as one like that. So we're the same kind of warriors. We're allies."

"Allies... Avatar State..." thinks Zuko. "No matter what we did, the talismans lent their power to Aang so easily. The talismans are saying to tell Aang the truth. Tell her the truth, and she won't be able to fight. We're the same soldiers..."

They go to an apartment high in the building. "Reiko's place."

"It's all messed up from the attack," says Aang.

"The window glass is shattered."

"I can't wait to see the bill for the cost of the glass," says Reiko. "Plus the cost of redoing the broken furniture... However much it is, it's not enough. The rent here is one million a month."

"One million!?"

"Wh- Why is it so much!?" asks Sokka. "Are your parents paying for it!?"

"Ehehe," Reiko says. "Since we have a patron, the price isn't a concern."

She looked at Zuko.

"Zuko..." says Reiko. "Aang. No, Avatar. In what we can trace of our memory now, we saw the three talismans activated. It has only happened once before. Do you remember? When the world was destroyed. Then, leaving the territory we were to protect wasn't permitted. From far away, we sat watching over it. From a distance, where we were home, we heard the final cry of the world."

"No, don't talk about that," Aang says. "It's like... my heart is breaking..."

Katara holds him.

"What we carry, the strongest weapons of the outer solar system, the talismans, are beginning to resonate like we've never seen. We gathered them. Then, the beautifully shining talismans summoned, from the forbidden planet, the final warrior, who must not awaken. The warrior of darkness and destruction. Touched by Death's Spirit. Then we knew the end would come. We watched as she slowly brought down her death scythe and the world ended. Our power gave out."

"Death...!"

"The Spirit of Death appears at the moment of destruction. She takes all to nothing. She is the guide to death. When the three talismans are together, they will invoke the key that will call Death. We are the guardians of that key. The time when we gather them, the three talismans, that is the time of Death's awakening. The three talismans must not be able to be brought together. The time when Death awakens... Is the time of the death of this world. The time of the ruin of this world."

"Then these are the three talismans that will lead to ruin," says Sokka.

"But, in my dream," says Katara, "somebody was calling for the talismans to be gathered. Who was that...?"

"The territories we are to defend are far apart. We were never supposed to meet. We were reincarnated as humans on this planet, and again we met. The talismans were calling out. Invaders from outside. We can't stop anymore. We sensed that. We followed the invaders to their home. We found it, in the center of the cursed Delta, right under our noses. The enemies were there. Then the soldier of destruction was reborn..."

The face of the soldier is reflected in Kurai's mirror, held by Reiko

"Oh my god..." Aang says.

"Is that... Kurai?" says Zuko. "Is Kurai touched by death!?"

He glares at Reiko.

"Is that why she left?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Death's awakening is near. The child's body is beginning to feel the effects."

"Kurai's soul was calling for the talismans!?" thinks Katara.

"Avatar Aang," Reiko says. "As you know, you have a future. The ruin can't happen here, now. This is an accident. Kurai's soul was reincarnated. Somewhere the wheels of fate have gone wrong."

"Why is this happening...?" Katara asks.

"We don't know."

"But!" Zuko says. "Whatever happens, Death must not be allowed to awaken. Kurai _has to live!_"

"What do you plan to do?" asks Sokka.

"Kill her. Then we'll completely seal Death away." Reiko said.

Zuko gasps, flames flying from his fingertips. "I WON'T LET YOU!"

"That's..." Aang says. "You're kidding, right!?"

"We don't know yet whether or not the three talismans will be activated. The talismans are resonating. They sent out the power to call Avatar Aang. The talismans are full of power. Like the time... Like the time when the world was destroyed. The time when the talismans activate to call Death is near."

"And so you're going to kill her!?" Zuko says. "There has to be another way!"

"If there was, we'd use it," says Reiko. "We don't have long. The child's body... You've seen it, right, Zuko? She was seriously ill from an accident when she was 6 years old. It was a miracle she returned from her coma alive. As she had the best mind, she was the result of her insane father's abominable work. The child's small body has already been worn out."

"Isn't there any way to save her?" Aang asks.

"There is only one way her body can be saved. That would be for her to become a soldier with power, and awaken as Death. But we can't let that happen."

"You have no right to cut off Kurai's life to seal away Death!" Sokka says.

"So this world can live without following the path to destruction, we will kill the child. After we kill her, we'll defeat the enemies. If we do not, Death will surely awaken and destroy this world. Everything will vanish. Nothing will be left. We might not be able to stop it. But our mission now is to seal Death away before her awakening."

"No!" Zuko shouts. "No! You can't kill her! There is a way to save her! Death might not awaken. The future exists. The world won't be destroyed! We'll help her. We can save everything! You can't kill her! I'LL SAVE HER!"

"I thought you'd say that," Reiko says. "So you can't do the mission with me. This is where we part. You may hate me. For you, we may be enemies. Since there is no other way, I will do my duty. I will save the world."

She runs off and disappears in a flash of light.

"Reiko!"

"Kurai is Death, who will call the ruin..." thinks Zuko. "Kurai...Those deep eyes with a wondrous power. She always looked depressed. Kurai..." He runs away.

"Zuko!" Katara calls.

"It can't happen!" He thinks. "I have to save her! I'm going to Kurai's place! She can't be killed!" She climbs over the fence of the research lab. "This time I won't run away. Whatever form she's in, whoever she is, whatever her destiny is. She's my—-!"

Reiko sit above in a tree. "Is that... Zuko!?"

Zuko runs to the door and sees Kurai sprawled on the floor.

Kurai's eyes open. They sparkle. A gust of wind blows out, shattering the glass of the door.

"What!?" Bandiane thinks.

"That sound!?" thinks Soichiro.

"Zuko!" Aang and Katara call, sensing their friend's fatal danger.

A hand snakes out from Kurai, and delved deep in Zuko's chest. It dragged out a blazing red light—his inner fire—and dragged it away. Zuko collapses.

"Zuko!" Aang calls. He runs to Zuko with Katara.

Kurai's eyes glow, and her hair grows out long, all over the floor around her. Her eyes are dead, her skin like rotting flesh, and she held Zuko's flame.

"Aang!" Sokka calls as he appears with the others.

Kurai glares up at them, and they're all forced back.

"That's-!? Is that Kurai!?"

"Oh no!" Aang thinks. "Death!? Has she awakened!? The talismans aren't activating! So that's-! That spirit...it's...something's wrong with it!"

He remembered the monster panda spirit that had been angered after the Fire Nation destroyed the forest. Aang took a step toward the transformed girl.

Kurai smiles as a black star shines on her forehead. "I've got it," she says. "I've got it! His flame is mine! I've awakened! Heh heh! Ahahahaha!"

Katara holds the unconscious Zuko in her arms. "Zuko!?"

"Zuko!?" Aang says. "His body's cold... Zuko!? He's not breathing!?"


	10. Confrontation

p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai stares in disbelief./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren and Ahiru stand with their mouths hanging open./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""It can't be..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter; min-height: 14.6px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"On the steps of the palace stand the Vampirates./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"They stare at Kurai coldly./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai smiles. "Arra! Debbie! Alice! Everyone...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren sees the metal bracelets on their wrists./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Reiko's bracelets!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Ahiru grabs onto Kurai's leg and struggles to hold her back./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Priestess!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai knocks her away./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Priestess!?" says Darren./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai runs toward the palace./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Everyone...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Kill the Priestess," Steve says. "Then take her soul!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Your first opponents are us!" say Debbie, Arra, and Alice, attacking./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren and Ahiru jump in front of Kurai, and are struck by the attacks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Darren! Ahiru!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai looks at the others. "Everyone!? Are they being manipulated!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Priestess!" says Darren. "Their bracelets! If you take those off, they'll be back to normal for sure!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Ahiru grabs onto Darren./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Ahiru!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She holds Darren's hand./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""What!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren sees the images of the others being killed./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Arra! Debbie! Alice!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She drops to her knees./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Ahiru, these visions... Were they all taken this way!? Just like dust, in one moment they were...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter; min-height: 14.6px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I am next!" says Alice./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Then, the ones before us now...!" Darren thinks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Alice attacked/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai is knocked to the ground./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Priestess!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren runs to her./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""They're enemies!" she says. "Impostors made by Reiko!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Enemies!?" says Kurai. "No way! These powers, these strengths... It's them! They're alive!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""That's right. It's us," says Arra. "We have been newly reborn!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The attack strikes Kurai, throwing her back across the ground./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Arra!?" thinks Darren. "No, this is not Arra! Priestess!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Reiko," says Alice. "Give me power!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren cries out in pain as the blast strikes her./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Darren!" Kurai calls./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Priestess," says Darren. "These are not them. They're enemies! It's hard, but remember that! All their bodies were torn apart by Reiko and the others."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""But... They're all there. Alive before us, standing here, fighting..." /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""That's right!" Darren says. "But this is not their true power! They've been reincarnated with Reiko's power... To kill us!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""It's my turn next," says Debbie, attacking/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Debbie!" thinks Darren./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Ahiru rushes in front of them, blocking the attack/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Bothersome!," says Alice, attacking./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai holds off the attack. It is redirected, knocking down one of the palace pillars./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter; min-height: 14.6px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""No! That's not Alice! This destruction power, this strength is...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Arra and Alice stand together and attack./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Their joined attack strikes Ahiru./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai starts to run toward her, but is stopped by a noise behind her./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Debbie attacks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai holds out her arms, and fights off the attack with a blast of her own./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Hmph!" says Steve./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"He turns and runs inside the palace./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai chases in after him./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"He turns to face her, his eyes blank./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Steve!" Darren thinks. "No, that's not Steve... Those eyes..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The Vampirates enter the palace behind him./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Their power clashes with Kurai's, as she fights off their attack./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Damnit!" says Steve./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren lifts himself off the ground./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Priestess! Everyone!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""This can't be happening!" say Darren. "If we're all killed, who will protect Earth!? Who will protect this world!? What will become of our future!? Open your eyes! If you don't, it will all end here!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai lifted her head and attacked./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Reiko holds up her hand, looking coldly at Kurai./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Is this the power of the soul known as the strongest in the world?" she says. "It's merely the dance of a slight breeze."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I can't do this..." Kurai thinks. "I can't defeat them."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The three hold out their hands and attack./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter; min-height: 14.6px;" /p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai's back is ripped open as she falls backward, blood spilling from her mouth./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She falls limp on the ground./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She coughs up blood. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Steve stands over her./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""So her power has been broken. Heh heh..."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""If I don't act, we'll be killed!" Darren thinks. "If I don't fight and defeat them, it will end here! We won't be able to reach the end."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Ahiru grabs his arm./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""No," she says. "Don't do it. This is the Priestess' fight. The future of the world depends on it. It's the Priestess' fight, so... So believe in her."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai weakly lifts herself from the ground./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Put her to an end," Steve says./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Priestess!" Darren calls./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Darren clasps his hands together in prayer./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai stands up./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""That's right. Things can't end here yet! I can't give up!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She splays her hands out in a display of power./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"The bracelets shatter, and the Vampirates disintegrate into ash./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai gasps./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Their souls remain./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Their souls!?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She reaches for them, and they vanish./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She turns, standing in the hall of the palace. She sees the giant crystal held in the air./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"And Reiko sitting on a large plush seat, with Steve standing next to her./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I trust my golems put on a great performance for you? I am the Vampaneze Priestess. Welcome to the castle of the Vampaneze, Vampire Priestess."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I've finally made it," Kurai thinks. "To you, Reiko...!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""You're injured. They even made you bleed... Is your beautiful and radiant power so full of hatred toward me?"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""My power is not full because of hatred," Kurai says. "It is because I believe in the power of the Vampires. They have all continued to give me strength. It is because I believe in the power of their souls. I've made it this far. It is because I believe in my own power."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I want to be born together with everyone again," said Darren./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""My allies will surely help me. It is because I believe we will live together again. It is because I believe we will have the future we've made! I can fight now."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""Your future with the ones you love?" Reiko asks./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Steve steps forth from the shadows, and kisses Reiko's lips./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Kurai gasps./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""This man, and the power of the Vampaneze, everything in this world belongs to me! If you want it back, you must fight me!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""I will fight!" Kurai says. "I will fight and end this war!"/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"She raises her hands in defiance./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Reiko raises her arms with their bracelets./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Power surrounds them both as they charge toward each other./span/p 


	11. Darkness

Power surrounds them both as they charge toward each other.

Darren and Ahiru run into the palace.

Ahiru holds up her fist.

"Kurai!" thinks Darren. "Reiko!"

She looks at Ahiru.

"Ahiru we must win this battle, and save everyone, don't we!? So that's why you told me to believe in Kurai, right!? Ahiru, who are you really?"

The small girl looks into her eyes.

Reiko knocks Kurai to the ground, holding her down.

"I was born alone as trash, on a planet of trash," she says. "I could do nothing but wander in solitude, living my days like I was in hell. But I have power. One day, it suddenly awakened. I was a chosen one. But I had to have the strongest power! I came searching for power! And then I found it. A magnificent planet. And to get that planet, I need the world's ultimate power!"

Kurai throws her off, into the air.

"The power of the sailor soldiers is for justice and peace in the galaxy! For the ones we love and our friends!"

"Love? Friends?" says Reiko. "Massing in groups is evidence of being trash. The only thing we can trust is our own power. Only the source of power, the souls. That is everything. The destroyed people, too, as long as they have sou, can be reincarnated in flesh with ease. And again, they will be items to be easily broken. Heh heh."

Kurai gasps.

"You should know that too," says Reiko. "What you believe is only an empty illusion. Do you still say you believe in that?"

She stands beneath the large crystal holding the souls, next to Steve.

"Things like love and friends! The peace of trash! Coexistence! The future!"

"You, the soldier of destruction, will not understand!" says Kurai. "The hands, the bodies, the words of our friends and those we love carry all kinds of power! My coming here, my living to this point, my ability to fight as a warrior, is because I have my friends and the ones I love! That is a warrior!"

Reiko stares at her.

Steve and the Garden Crystal overhead vanish.

"They disappeared!?" Kurai thinks.

Reiko turns and runs away into the palace. Kurai follows her.

"Carrier of the worlds strongest soul!" Reiko thinks. "Why is it Kurai! That girl of trash who doesn't do a thing! But whatever it takes, I have to get her power! So I can make the entire world mine! I must have that power!"

She stops and turns, facing Kurai.

They stand on a cliff, overlooking a gigantic open cylinder of energy that shines with light.

Kurai looks down at it.

"This...!"

"This is the holy land," says Reiko. "The cauldron. Strong souls and weak souls. Trash and souls. This is the place where all the souls are born."

"The place where stars are born..." thinks Kurai. "It's so pretty... In all the world, the sacred place most filled with possibility."

The Cauldron bubbles, steam rising into the air.

"This place," says Reiko, "is the ultimate stage, where I will have the final chosen one. Everything is here. Here everything will be gone."

Steve stands next to her as the Garden Crystal appears in the air.

She raises the giant crystal over the ledge.

"Reiko!?" Kurai shouts. "What are you...!"

The crystal sinks into the Cauldron, and fades away.

"Everyone's souls...!?"

"Now there is nothing left of the galaxy's sailor crystals in the mother sea," says Reiko. "It's so exhilarating. This Cauldron is the universe's strongest, completely unmatched star!"

Darren and Ahiru reach the cliff.

Kurai stares into the Cauldron.

"All their souls are gone?" she thinks. "Gone!? I always believed... that with the sailor crystals... if I could return everyone back to normal... I would bring them back... That final hope... Their souls..."

She grasps her sword.

"I won't let you," she says. "I won't let you do this, Reiko!"

"Yes, more, more," says Reiko. "Fuel the flames of rage and the storms of hatred."

She raises her arm toward Darren.

"Be alone, Kurai," she says. "That feeling will awaken the bottomless power inside you."

"Darren!"

Reiko flicks her wrist, and Darren falls back over the ledge. Steve reaches for him, and falls in as well.

"Then, when you've heard all the truth, your power will explode recklessly, and you'll be no more."

"Darren!" Kurai cries.

Ahiru gasps.

"At that time, I, Reiko, will become the true ruler of the Cauldron!"

Darren falls into the light of the Cauldron, and is gone.

"Nooooo!" Kurai cries, tears in her eyes.

Ahiru gasps.

"Have you drawn out your power!" says Reiko. "You, too, will be the victim, Kurai! Inside this Cauldron, the zenith of power will explode, and you will be blown away!"

She attacks Kurai.

Ahiru blocks her.

"She repelled it!?" thinks Reiko. "Damn her! This warrior!?"

"Ohhh..."

"Cauldron!" Reiko says. "Now I give you the galaxy's strongest soldier, Kurai! The time has come at last! I will have power, the galaxy, the whole universe! I give you Kurai, boiling with the highest power!"

A blast shoots up from the Cauldron.

Reiko is knocked from the cliff.

"Reiko!?" Kurai calls.

She reaches out and grabs her hand, pulling her back up.

A giant mass of energy forms before them.

Power blasts at Kurai. She holds Ahiru. Reiko lies unconscious.

Light glows around Kurai.

"Ohhh! Such power!" says the energy. "That white brilliance! The power of the strongest light in the galaxy! So it has finally made it here to me. I am the Darkness. The one who missed becoming a soul. And the ruler of this Cauldron's souls of darkness."

"Darkness!?" says Kurai.

"Successor to the power of the light of this beautiful Cauldron. Your siblings, born from this same sea. The souls of evil darkness. Defeated by your hand. Adding brilliance to yourself. So your name has become known throughout all the galaxy. Heh heh heh."

"Siblings!?" says Kurai. "Souls of evil darkness!?"

"Seeking the power of light, roaming the galaxy. The incarnations of evil darkness. The kin you have wiped out. They were all alter selves of me. They all departed from here, crossing time and space. You are siblings."

"All siblings, born here, in the same place...!?"

"Your coming here was destiny," says Darkness. "Where there is light, there is darkness. The darkness calls to the light, and the light calls again to the darkness. Our destiny matches. As before, when everything was one here, the time has now come again for light and darkness to join hands! Soldier of the galaxy's strongest light, Kurai! Give me your power now! At last, my long-awaited wish has come, for me to rule all the universe instead of this Cauldron!"

Reiko wakes up. She looks at Kurai.

"Why did you save me?"

"Reiko!" says Kurai.

"Finish me off! The Darkness paid me no mind from the start. I can't win over such a huge existence after all. My world wasn't here, either."

"I gave you my hand because inside you, I saw the loneliness of myself. I don't want to lose any more friends."

"I am an enemy!" says Reiko. "This is war!"

"I can't fight anymore," says Kurai. "Everyone is gone. All this time, it wasn't for peace and justice. I only fought for the ones I love, and my friends. But now they're all gone. If I don't have my most precious ones... For who, for what should I fight?"

"Heh..." says Reiko. "Both you and I can't fight. If the last warrior is no more... Will now be the end of war?"

"The end of war..."

"Ohh..." says the Darkness as power surrounds them.

"The thing I've been praying for," thinks Kurai. "In this form..."

"No," says Ahiru. "The wars will not end. They will always continue. But you can end this war, the one now. To save the galaxy's future. Kurai, with your last power, eliminate the source of all the enemies, the Darkness and the Cauldron, and end the war!"

"the Darkness, and the Cauldron!? Ahiru?"

"the Darkness is now completely one with the Cauldron. To completely eliminate the Darkness, there is no choice but to destroy the Cauldron."

"But if the Cauldron is gone, no more stars can be born! Someday the world's future will be no more!"

"But if you don't do that," Ahiru says, "this war and the history of suffering will continue forever! It will all be on your shoulders, Kurai. You will regret this, Kurai!"

"Ahiru...?"

Kurai looks at her.

"As long as stars can continue to be born, war will not end," Kurai says. "The darkness calls to the light, and the light calls again to the darkness. Is this the will of the world? Saying I will end the war... Will that be the end of everything? And that glaive of death, this time must I be the one to bring it down?"

"But you have no choice," says Ahiru. "There is no alternative. To bring peace to the warrior, there is nothing else..."

"But even if this world is destroyed," says Reiko, "somewhere a new Cauldron will surely be born again. Somewhere a new future will begin, and light and darkness may be born again. The end of war will not come so easily. A new future... Amazing, that those words are still inside me."

"Yes," says Kurai. "Yes. New futures will always continue to be created. And there, light and darkness, war and hope, life and death, joy and pain, will all exist again. Everything, that is this universe."

"Kurai...!" thinks Reiko. "You believe in such a distant future for this universe? Kurai, are you the soldier that draws in everything? Kurai... I've finally found it. My world..."

She reaches out toward Kurai.

The bracelets on her wrists crack.

She drops to her knees.

"Too big... Too radiant... My arms don't reach..."

"Reiko!?"

"But that planet will continue to shine in this universe eternally..."

The bracelets shatter.

Reiko is no more.

"Reiko!?" Kurai cries.

All that remains is the golden brooch she wore.

Kurai holds it in her hands as tears fall from her eyes.

"Ahiru," she says. "I won't give up. Everyone always told me... At the end of war there is hope and future. I will make our future. So don't you abandon hope and the future, either. Believe. Our hope will never disappear. As long as it keeps shining, we will be all right. We won't be defeated."

"Right," says Ahiru.

Light glows around her.

She transforms, becoming older. She floats up in her glowing adult body, and kisses Kurai.

A spark of light shines on her forehead.

"Ahiru?"

Their hands touch.

"I see..." Kurai thinks. "We won't lose. Because we are warriors."

Energy storms around them.

"Kurai!" calls the Darkness. "The mother Cauldron is your grave! This is the birth of the universe's strongest star, the Darkness!"

Kurai leaps into the air.

"the Darkness. Reiko and Steve. I know now, why you were seeking my power. It is the same as the feeling that I seek for the ones I love, and my friends. We are all stars alone. We meet our desire, wanting to be as one. As one. That is how we begin. And now, I, too, will seek you. I will envelop you. Inside this Cauldron, to save everything."

"Ohhhh!"

Kurai descends into the Cauldron.


	12. Ending and Beginning

Kurai descends into the Cauldron.

"Save everything... Whether or not I can do it... I don't know... But..."

"We're always with you," say the Vampirates.

"Fight without hesitation," says Darren.

"There is always hope and rebirth," says Ahiru.

"The sailor crystals are our hope," says Larten.

Kurai enters Chaos.

"Our hope."

Her clothes peel into feathers blowing away as she flows through the light.

"Vampirates sleeping inside the Cauldron. Sailor crystals. And my many friends across the galaxy. Please. Please give me strength!"

"Ohhhh," says Chaos.

A glowing light rises out of the Cauldron.

A winged figure is bathed in power.

"Ultimate Power!" Kurai calls out.

The souls shoot out in all directions at Chaos.

"Ohhh! Are you trying to break me apart!? Stop! Ohhhh!"

Chaos screams as the souls envelop it.

"I feel all their power..." Kurai thinks. "Throughout my body... Now I can rescue them... From inside here..."

Her body melts away as she drops into the Cauldron.

Lights burst into the air.

"The souls of the sailor soldiers scattered in the Cauldron," says a figure, "are returning to their original forms, and going back to their own planets."

Kurai sees the woman's face.

"Ahiru?"

"They are all still just souls born from the Cauldron, but as they reach their respective homes, they will grow, and return to their forms of before."

"It can't be," says Kurai. "Am I...dead?"

"No," says the woman. "This power of rebirth is the realization of the power of all the galaxy's sailor crystals as one. This is the Cosmos' powers, making everything into the static Cosmos, the ultimate Power."

"Cosmos!? Ultimate Power!? Who are you...?"

The woman in a with large wings, stands before them.

"I am Cosmos. I am your true self"

"Cosmos!?" says Kurai. "It can't be... It can't be... Are you me!?"

"I am only a coward," the woman says. "I abandoned everything, and ran away from where I should have been. Eternally, I am no match for the final courage and strength you displayed."

"Final courage!? Then, am I-!? Can I be...dead?"

"Do not worry," she says. "You, the same as the other souls, were reborn by that Ultimate Power. Someday, in that flow of lights, you will arrive safely back in your home. This is the Cauldron. Where the souls are born, and where they finally return. To engage the source of all the enemies who inhabited here, Chaos, You melted along with Chaos into the Cauldron's sea of origin. Not your power, but the Cauldron, and the galaxy, were able to return everyone. But in the end, you could not completely eliminate Chaos."

Memories echo in her mind.

"From an overwhelming future, where I lost the war to Chaos, I gave up everything and ran away. Repeated massacres, a long, painful war... The enemy that appeared, the strong, enormous Chaos... With the way of fighting we had used, we didn't stand a chance. Even if we defeated it, even if we returned the peace of before, the damage taken, the price we paid, would be too much. Too far-reaching. We couldn't do it. I don't know anymore, why there are wars. What is right. What should I do? When I'm lost, when I'm hurt, I remember. The war here. Back then at the Cauldron. If I had eliminated it, would the pain, would the war have ended? After regretting it so many times, I came here. To make it right this time."

A small girl floats down from above, holding an umbrella over her head.

"The me of here, too, was all alone. Always suffering. So I was always by her side, to support her. I was going to make her choose the right path this time...But I knew. The chosen path was not a mistake. Nobody can destroy the place where stars are born. Because of this place, we can continue living. Time and time again, we can start over. I won't run away anymore. I'll go ahead to the future. Because I was blessed with great power by Eternal Sailor Moon. All the courage and strength to stand alone, the courage and strength to accept everything! I had forgotten it. The matchless strength!"

"Cosmos..."

"Now you, who saved the galaxy, is the true me. When, like you, I can have the courage to stand alone, and the courage to accept everything, at that time I can be the true Cosmos. Now, you shall return as well! To the place where you must return, to the person you must protect!"

She raises her scepter, and Kurai is transformed into lights, joining the others

Alone, she watches as Kurai goes.

**Inside the Cauldron**

"It's warm... This smell is familiar..."

Kurai sits up.

"Me...? I'm alive? I was going to envelop Chaos. At the final moment... I was repelled."

She looks at the light surrounding her.

"This place? Is everyone gone...? Chaos... The Cauldron... Everyone..."

She feels a touch at her back.

"Kurai."

She turns, standing up, and takes Darren's hands.

"Kurai!" the Vampirates call.

"Everyone...!" she says.

Darren kisses her hand. "Thanks to your power, Kurai."

"Kurai...!" says Debbie. "You were alone... We couldn't protect you. Sorry."

"We wanted to be with you...!" says Alice.

"You continued to call on us, to draw on our power... Thank you, Kurai." Says Arra.

"I believed," Kurai says, "that I would be with you. We're all one again. Being as one, our thoughts meshing... Now we are together again."

She hugs them.

A small figure appears.

"Such strong brilliance of stars," it says. "Inside this Cauldron, the souls' forms are fully ready."

"Cauldron?" says Kurai. "Is this place inside the Cauldron?"

"Yes," says the figure.

"And you...?"

"I am a Guardian. Guardian and holy spirit of this place. Long ago, there were shining stars that came here like you, as perfect star forms. In my breast I held the cast-off shell of a small soul. That soul, too, carried strong brilliance like yours, Priestess. Saying it would come here to me, that life was lost to this Cauldron's sea of origin. Saying you want to create a new history of the souls? I wonder if that means you want to leave here in those soul forms?"

"We want to go live together, always, like this," says Kurai. "We want to make our future like this. However hard it may be, we want to live these lives!"

They are all enclosed in light, and thrown into the air.

"Guardian!" Kurai calls as she flies away. "Is Chaos...!"

They disappear.

"The core of Chaos is melted into the Cauldron. Now they have become too small to be found. They might be born again. Because this is the place where souls, and possibilities, are born..."

**Somewhere a few years later**

Many years have passed - Kurai and Darren, naked, are in bed.

Darren lies next to Kurai in bed.

He leans over, and wakes her with a kiss.

"Morning."

"Morning, Darren..." she says. "It feels like I've been having a long, long dream."

"What kind of dream?"

"I don't remember."

The sun shines over the building

"Hey, Darren..."

She touches her hands to his face.

"Say those words one more time."

"I already said them fifty times last night."

"Just once more!"

"Okay. One last time."

He kisses her.

"Marry me, Kurai."

The sun shines through the window of the church as they kiss.

A light glows in Kurai's chest.

"Oh..."

"What?"

"I felt something now," she says. "That a star was being born inside of me. That soon, our daughter... a new soul, will be born."

She holds the bouquet of flowers as they walk up the aisle.

"Say... Until our duties end someday, will we always protect this planet together..."

"We will," says Darren. "Of course we will."

"Will we always live together?"

"I promise. We will always be together."

They kiss.

"I promise too" she thinks. "I will always protect you."

She runs outside.

"And I will always protect our precious friends."

She joins the Vampirates.

"Darren!" she calls.

Darren looks at her in the sunlight.

"Someday we will be gone," he thinks. "New sailor soldiers, new stars will be born... But Kuria, you will forever be immortal. For all eternity, you will be the most beautiful, brilliant light."


End file.
